Premier: Sarawak’s low-cost renewable energy could be trump card in hydrogen race

Abang Johari visiting a booth at the APGH 2026 held at BCCK in Kuching on June 9, 2026. Photo: Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas)

By Emily Ruran

KUCHING, June 9: Sarawak’s low-cost renewable energy gives it a competitive advantage in hydrogen production, and the State stands to benefit if global technological breakthroughs make hydrogen more affordable.

Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said Sarawak is well positioned to benefit from such developments because of its abundant renewable energy resources and its electricity tariffs which are among the lowest in the region.

At the same time, he expressed confidence that hydrogen would become increasingly affordable as technology advances.

“I do not know when it will come, but I have a feeling that the cost will be very, very low in the future on hydrogen,” he said during a dialogue session at the Asia Pacific Green Hydrogen Conference and Exhibition (APGH) 2026 in the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today.

Abang Johari said researchers around the world are working to make hydrogen production more affordable through technological advancements and international collaboration.

He said laboratories in Japan, China, Europe, and the United States are exploring ways to lower production costs as the world increasingly acknowledges the importance of hydrogen.

“Now the world seems to acknowledge the importance of hydrogen, and the world is also looking into the cost of producing hydrogen.

“The world is also searching how to reduce the cost. There are many laboratories throughout the world carrying out research on that,” he said.

He also pointed to Sarawak’s early transition from diesel generators to solar energy in remote areas, saying the move has helped reduce reliance on conventional fuels and cushion communities against fluctuations in diesel prices.

“Six years ago, our rural areas in Sarawak depended on diesel generators, but we changed to solar.

“Today, when there are problems with diesel, our friends in the remote areas and longhouses are not worried because they are using solar energy,” he said. — DayakDaily